Chinch bugs can be a major hassle to get rid of once your lawn is already infested. Effective chinch bug control will use preventative techniques before the attack, as well as proper lawn care practices after an infestation strikes. Nutri-Lawn Ottawa firmly believes in the critical nature of preventative chinch bug control, particularly through appropriate grass maintenance. Few homeowners realize that you can ward off insect infestations simply by choosing the right grass seed for your particular lawn.

What are chinch bugs?

Adult chinch bugs are black in colour, with a single white spot on their backs. This spot is nestled between the wings, which are also white. Adult chinch bugs are approximately 4 mm long.

Nymph chinch bugs are much more vivid. They are red in colour, and eventually change to orange, to brown, before becoming black. The nymph does not have the white spot or wings like the adult chinch bug, but instead has bright white bands that stretch across the bare red back.

What are preventative chinch bug control options?

A great way to prevent chinch bugs is with grass seed that naturally repels insects. Nutri-Lawn Ottawa offers a blended seed that organically wards away chinch bugs. This seed contains varieties of grass that possess endophyte-enhanced properties, which repels both disease and insects. The varieties include fescues, ryegrasses, and bluegrasses.

Another thing to remember is that chinch bugs prefer dry conditions. Keep your lawn moist to strengthen your grass, and to create an unfriendly habitat for chinch bugs. Nutri-Lawn Ottawa recommends irrigating your grass approximately 1-2 inches every 5-7 days to provide the most effective lawn care.

Chinch bugs prefer living in the thatch layer throughout the winter season. If you include dethatching in your Nutri-Lawn Ottawa lawn care program in the fall, you can remove the natural habitat for chinch bugs.

How is the infestation identified?

Infestation identification is quite simple. The first way many homeowners identify the problem is by spotting patchy spots on their lawns where the bugs have been munching away. Once you've seen damaged areas, there are a couple of ways to narrow down where the damage is coming from. The first is by actually spotting a chinch bug. This can be difficult if you don't spend a ton of time in your yard.

The second way to identify the problem is with the old coffee can trick. Cut both ends off of a coffee canister and sink one end of it an inch or two into your lawn. Fill the can with warm, soapy water and wait for the bugs to rise. If you see chinch bugs floating on the surface of the water, then you have a chinch bug problem and it's time to bring in Ottawa lawn care.

How can an infestation be eliminated?

Nutri-Lawn Ottawa lawn care services include surface insect control, which can effectively control chinch bugs. Preying mantis, lacewings, ladybugs, and wasps are also natural predators of chinch bugs. If you have these in your lawn, then you will have natural chinch bug control.